Illinois State Police officials have credited the good police work performed by several law enforcement agencies during an armed robbery at the First National Bank in Cairo.

Police responded to a call of a robbery in progress at approximately 5:15 p.m. on May 15, and discovered three female victims severely wounded in the employee break room of the First National Bank. Preliminary investigative details revealed that an armed subject approached the female bank employees in the parking lot as the bank was closing. The subject forced the female employees back inside the bank, where Cairo police later discovered them. Two of the female employees, both 52 years of age, suffered fatal stab wounds. A 23-year-old female employee, from Massac County, was also stabbed.

“While we commend the quick response of all of the officers and first responders, there are no words to express this tragic and senseless violence against these innocent victims and loyal employees,” said ISP Director Hiram Grau. “We deployed every resource possible to quickly apprehend this offender and to ensure that the community and the public were safe,” Grau added.

The subject fled the scene south towards Missouri in a 2014 Buick SUV, which was later identified as one of the victim’s vehicles. State Police used intelligence and technology to locate the vehicle on I-57, and followed the vehicle into Illinois, near the Canadian Northern Rail tracks.

The subject abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot where he was located on top of a railroad trestle. The subject was surrounded by officers from various agencies. Within 45 minutes, the subject was apprehended by ISP patrol officers and investigators, Alexander County deputies, and FBI agents. The subject was armed with a semi-automatic handgun and remains in custody in Marion, Illinois.